Culture & attractions along the Alto Adige Wine Road

Piazza della Libertà at Egna. The nucleus of the hamlet developed around the Piazza della Libertà/Freiheitsplatz, which, after being used for years as a parking area, was the star of an important restoration project. The ancient well was renovated and the “Sas del poz”, a calcareous monolith probably used in conjunction with ancient German judicial tradition, was reinstated.

Calvary was laid out by the Order of the Capucin monks near Bozen. After this, most other brother houses of the Order did the same, and this included Eppan. At the end of this pathway the Gleif Church was built in 1716. Each station of the cross took time to erect and several figures were finished in the 19th century. Architectural style: the church was built in the middle of the 18th century as the graveyard church at the end of the pilgrimage path. The two domed towers of the Renaissance building give it an impressive appearance. With all its inside decorations, it is definitely worth a visit. Extras: the view of Eppan from here is worth the walk. Walking: the easy walk to the Gleif Church is part of nearly everyone's holiday programme, but can also be combined with the Ice Holes, Matschatsch, Kem Ravine, the Mendel or the Gantkofel.

The Church of the Holy Heart of Jesus in Siebeneich was built in the years 1912-1913 according to the plans of Karl Atz, conservator of the imperial & royal monarchy of Austria-Hungary and beneficiary in Terlan. The solemn consecration took place on November 25, 1913 by Provost Alois Schlechtleitner from Bozen.
The church was restored a first time in 1956 and a second time in 1986. Little has been left of the original church furnishings. The cemetery was established in 1960. The eight-register organ with 560 pipes was built in 1984 by the organ builder Pirchner-Reinisch from Tyrol.
For the 100th anniversary, the church was restored inside and out.

Catholic service: every 2nd and 4th Saturday at 7 p.m. and on Sunday at 8.45 a.m.

Greifenstein castle is enthroned high above the village of Siebeneich/Settequerce. It was first mentioned in 1159.  During the war between the Counts of Tyrol and the Bishop of Trient, in 1275/1276, the castle was destroyed.  Only in 1334, the small aristocrats, the Lords of Greifenstein decided to re-built it again.  On a few years later, in 1348, it was burnt down.  In latter years (once more re-built in 1363), Greifenstein went into the hands of the Lords of Starkenberg.  In 1420, when a part of the Tyrolean aristocracy went into war against the sovereign Duke Frederick of Austria, the sovereign had the castle besieged and starved out.  Amongst the duke's enemies was also the minnesinger Oswald von Wolkenstein.  He wrote a poetic song about the duke's besieger and made fun of them.  The duke's army could not take Castle Greifenstein, but the fight of the aristocracy and the castle's owner, Wilhelm von Starkenberg, became meaningless and, therefore, the Lord of Starkenberg escaped probably through a crevice at the south-western part of the castle.  His 18 servants gave up their resistance once they were promised free withdrawal.  Today, Castle Greifenstein is merely a ruin. 
In common language, it is also called the Sauschloss.  This name derived from a legend, which speaks about the time of the siege.  During this time, the people inside the castle had to face fact that they were left with no food.  There was only one well fattened pig in the castle's cellar.  Suddenly, one of the servants had an idea: instead of slaughtering the animal, they threw it with much laughter over the castle walls and down the rock just in front of the besiegers.  When those realised what just had happened, they lost all courage as they believed that the castle's inhabitants still had lots of food available.  Therefore, they withdrew ..... and Greifenstein was saved.

 

The remarkable Baroque residence of the Barons of Longo dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. It presents a simple façade and a Baroque portal which can be reached through a two-winged staircase. The stone frame of the portal is decorated with two putti and a female bust. The interiors are richly decorated: high reliefs in stucco by Franz Hannibal Bittner and frescoes by Giacomo Antonio Delai, two artists who worked in the Bolzano/Bozen area from 1730. The palace also includes a unique park that extends to the forest behind the village.

 

In the fullness of the Überetscher countryside, high among the vineyards and orchards, lies the magnificent mansion of the 15th Century overlooking the idyllic Adige valley. For over 50 years in private property. Since 2022,  it has been run, like Castle Freudenstein , by Mrs Karoline Fink and her son Peter Gostner.The place is made for celebrations, which is why the Ansitz Zinnenberg is mainly used for weddings, company parties, Törggelen and other festivities. We will make your celebration an unforgettable event, with all the trimmings: decoration, cuisine and organisation.  
Ansitz Zinnenberg is also a hotel with five suites; a special, private retreat. Please feel free to contact us for further information. 

The Titschenbach stream ends in a 68 high thunderous waterfall, which makes the village so unique. This is where the prehistoric inhabitants used to fetch water from the stream and channel it into canals for a variety of everyday uses. This place, the oldest in the history of the village, was mentioned in documents as "Tütsche" (Tyrolean Urbar from 1288). This name could have been derived in the course of a millennium from the Latin term "ductia", which, like the ancient "sala", referred to a water pipe. Salurn, the "village on the Tütsche", was created thanks to such watercourses. This dependence is symbolized, among other things, in the coat of  arms and name of one of the oldest families of the village, the family "An der Lahn". It is interesting to note that until the end of the 15th century, the stream crossed the Gries district in the south of the village and was only later diverted to the north on the mountain side of the settlement. The wooden bridge was first built around 1500.

Patronal feast: January 17th The oldest parts of the church are in the tower (13th century) and in the nave walls. Around 1430, the Gothic Polygon Choir was added. The uniformly re-creation of the choir from 1472 have been carried out by the two painters Bernhard and Jakob, who worked in Bolzano. The great Christophorus on the southern façade is also a work of this painting group.

The church is accessible only during the holy masses (Monday 8 am).

Source: Parrish office Kaltern

Time table:

1191 First mention of a priest Nolpertus

1211 First mention of the parish as plebs Caldari

15th century Late Gothic hall building

1498 Winged altar by Hans Klockner

1791 Demolition of the Old parish Church

1792/93 New construction of the parish church - frescoes by Joseph Schöpf

1793 Sanctification of the parish church

1899/1900 Restoration by Steiner to Felsburg

2002/2004 Restoration of the parish church: complete reconstruction of the church roof, entire interior restoration by Gebr. Zingerle, renovation of the lighting and loudspeaker system, restoration of the high altar.

The high altar of  Teodor Benedetti (around 1740), the high altar of Michelangelo Unterberger (1744) and the ceiling painting by Joseph Schöpf (1792/93) are especially worth seeing .

Source: parish office Kaltern

The most interesting part of the façade of the “von Lutterotti” estate, a 17th century Baroque building, is probably the portal. It is framed by two half-columns with capitals and scroll and smooth and broken headstones. This is the magnificent archway of the court and prison building of the former Salorno/Salurn jurisdiction. The seat is adorned by three wrought-iron balconies. The hall on the first floor is decorated with stucco work. After the building was no longer used as a seat of jurisdiction, it passed to the namesake Lutterotti family from Salurn.

Patronal feast: November 6th The late Romanesque rotunda was probably connected to a medieval pilgrim hospice. On the frescoes on the inside, at the feet of the sculputre "St. Leonhard with the chain", the coat of arms of the lords von Fuchs is recognizable. Around 1420 a new building of the church was built. The equipment came from the "Grabenkirche" of Bolzano.

Tower in Pianizza di Sotto
The medieval residential tower was owned by the lords Fuchs von Fuchsenberg in 1739.

Source: Parrish office Kaltern

The Hausmann-Locherer estate dates from the Renaissance period, was built in the second half of the 16th century and is characterised by architectural elements of Nordic and Italian origin that are typical of the Überetsch/Oltradige architectural style. Architrave-shaped windows and an entrance portal with a round arch decorate the façade of the building. Above this round arch is the coat of arms of Andrä Locherer from 1593, consisting of a unicorn standing on its hind legs. The interior rooms with their central hall are arranged symmetrically. Some rooms have stuccoed ceilings, others are covered with 17th century woodcarving decorations. The entire building encloses an inner courtyard.

The first written documentation referring to this church appears at the end of the 14th century. From this era, the bell tower remains today, with its double-mullioned windows surmounted by triple-mullioned windows and frescoes on the façade representing the saints Anne, Catherine and Margaret, Christopher with the baby Jesus, and St. Michael, to whom the church is dedicated. In 1672, the church was restored, supplied with a barrel vault, and supplemented with a new chancel, side altar, and sacristy. Particularly rich are the decorations of the choir stalls: The scenes depicted on the parapet stem from the 17th century and represent the Visitation of Mary and Elizabeth, the Adoration of the Magi, the circumcision of Jesus, the flight from Egypt, and the Massacre of the Innocents. The busts painted on the lower part of the choir stalls represent the twelve Apostles and date back to the 18th century. The interior of the church is bare due to the theft of the furnishings and sacred images in 1969. The stolen original altarpiece was replaced by a representation of St. Michael fighting evil.

 

 

A rustic circular hiking trail along the Schwarzenbach/Rio Nero torrent to the waterfall offers a breathtaking natural spectacle offer. The "Katzenleiter" is a stone staircase consisting of 540 steps carved into the rock. The waterfall plunges into a 120-meter-deep gorge and offers a magnificent view of the entire south of South Tyrol all the way to Lake Kaltern. If you continue climbing the steps, you will reach the Brückenwirt inn in Montan/Montagna after a two-hour hike.

Patronal feast: June 24th The construction dates are written on the church itself. The year 1581 can be seen at the end of the choir, 1586 at the southern entrance. The choir of the church was built in Gothic-renaissance mixed forms. The high altar contains an altarpiece of the painter Johann Degler of Funes. 

The church is only accessible during holy masses.

Source: Parrish office Kaltern

The parish church is situated in the old center of the village and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built in 1674 in order to have a second church because the Church San Pietro was often not accessible due to flooding of the Rio Nero. The architecture of the church is modest and simple. Inside, the baroque main altar with the life-size statue of Our Lady stands out. The two side altars are simple Baroque altars and dedicated to St. Anthony and St. Joseph.

The most interesting building in Andreas-Hofer-Street from a historical point of view is surely the "Ballhaus." This construction functioned as a warehouse and repository for goods passing through Neumarkt/Egna, which, by disposition of the reigning sovereign Duke Otto, were obliged to pay duty and remain there for a night. Above the semi-circular stone framed arch of the portal, the erroneous date of 1372 appears along with the Egna coat of arms. In fact, the Ballhaus was built some 150 years later. You could say that the Ballhaus is the symbol of the privileges which Egna enjoyed until the 18th century and which permitted it to develop into the great and beautiful village we know today. Currently, following very careful restoration, this building is the site of the community library for the German-speaking population, the "Bibliothek im Ballhaus."

The “Weißes Rössl” Inn marked the southern gate to the hotel district in the lower part of the village. In the 17th century the "Weißes Rössl" was owned by the Lanser, von Moß and Festenstein families while being run by several hosts. From 1700 ti 1750 it was owned by the Bombardas, who, in the person of Josef Bombarda, supported the project for the construction of the Fountain of Hercules. The inn had a successful fish farm near the old fountain. After the owners went bankrupt, the hotel frequently changed management up to its sale to Josef Handlmayr in 1868.

According the slogan "freedom and harmony between art and nature" the South Tyrolean artist Sieglinde Tatz-Borgogno has created 200 sculptures of bronze, marble and clay at the small village Pochinear Salorno. People with their forces, desires and fears are at the focus of the artist's creativity. The sculpture-garden is reachable in a few minutes from the center of Pochi and is freely accessible.

The Stephanus Church was originally built in Romanesque style around the year 1200. Afterwards the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style. Inside the church there's the famous winged altar, which was created around 1485 by the South-Tyrolean artist Hans Klocker. Today, this altar is one of the biggest and most beautiful winged altars of Tyrol.

During some excavations in the "Kahn" area in 1983, remains of an ancient Roman edifice were found. Those remains almost certainly belong to the "Endidae Mansio," which appears in the "Itinerarium Antonini." The large edifice with ground area of 737 m² featured a rectangular shape with a huge arcade and a central, partly roofed court. Several rooms were built around the court, which were probably relaxation rooms (cubicula) and a kitchen.

 

The train station of the old Val di Fiemme railway was the starting point of the line extending from Auer/Ora to Predazzo, passing through Montan/Montagna, Truden/Trodena, and Kaltenbrunn/Fontanefredde. In 1894, the construction of a railroad had already been considered. Prompted by WWI, the Austrian army command ordered construction of the railway in 1916; it was an important means of supplying the Dolomite Front. From 1918 onward, the railway also carried passengers. In 1930, the train - which was pulled by a steam engine - was electrified, thus reducing the travel time from 4 to 2 hours. Due to increasing mobilization and the establishment of a bus connection to Val di Fiemme, the train lost its importance. On January 10, 1963, the train ran one last time from, Auer to Predazzo, before being decommissioned. Today, the railway track is a popular path for cycling tours or hiking excursions. The old train station Auer Val di Fiemme is the location of several cultural events and concerts.

In 1557, this house on the square, always described as small, was still an accessory to today's Amplatz, formerly the inn "zum Zotten" and connected by three doors. After it was later mentioned as an accessory to the Hilber, it was occupied around 1700 by the priest Johann Teiss the Elder. His heirs sold it in 1722 to Balthasar Öfner, Ladler or Krämer auf Montan. In 1783 the cobbler Johann Babtista Monsorno bought the upper part of the house - the seller received a pair of new shoes on top of the purchase price - and in 1788 Monsorno also bought the lower part. In 1813 the house was divided again: Peter Kaufmann received one floor and Josef Gaßmann one. In 1834 Gaßmann ceded his part to Peter Kaufmann. In 1838, he bequeathed the house to the community as the holder of the patronage rights of the Teissische Benefizium, with the condition that it be made available to the respective beneficiary free of charge. In 1905, the Benefiziumhäusl was sold to Jordan Amplatz. In 2017, Karl Amplatz sold it to the Zuchristian-Amplatz family, who lovingly renovated the house and expanded their directly bordering accommodation business (Amplatz). This closes the circle, and the Benefiziumhäusl is once again an accessory to the adjacent Amplatz, as it was in 1557.

 

Since 1507, a sundial has adorned this house, which in addition to the sundial on the church tower shows the time to visitors to the village square. As a special feature, this chronometer even distinguishes between "old" (winter time) and "new" time (summer time).

In the 14th century a church dedicated to St. Jodok stood where the Church of Our Lady now stands. In 1674 it was replaced by an early-Baroque nave dedicated to the Queen of the Rosary, with only the base of the bell tower preserved from its predecessor. The builders were the Misconèl brothers from Tesero in the Val di Fiemme. The tower was completed in 1776/77 with an octagonal tambour and bell dome. The three-bay nave with barrel vault is divided by pilasters and transverse arches between rectangular and lunette windows; a right-angled cornice connects it with the recessed rectangular choir. There is a two-storey loft to the west.

The altar fittings date back to the late-Baroque era. The Queen of the Rosary can be seen between Saints Dominic and Catherine on the high altarpiece, with the side altars dedicated to the Saints Joseph and Anthony of Padua. The pulpit, of stucco marble, dates from the Classicist era around 1800.

The Jewish business family Schwarz founded the steam-powered brewery in 1849. It was the largest in South Tyrol. In 1897, an electric power plant was added. The plant was equipped with the latest, state-of-the art turbine model, Pelton. Many parts oft he plant were made of steel casting which are still perfectly preserved today.

In 1924, the brewery was sold and transformed into a malt brewery. Pilsner, Münchner and Caramel malt beers were produced.

The electrical power station was in use from 1897 until the malt brewery closed down in 1986. The whole area then became the property of the Autonomous Province of Bozen. The regional Fire Brigade school was built on the site, but a few of the original buildings have been preserved. At Heinrich Erschbamer’s instigation and his untiring commitment, the electric power plant has been professionally restored and has been open to the public since 2014.

In addition to the existing Nature Park House in Truden, an information point for the Trudner Horn Nature Park was opened in Gfrill (Salurn) in 2014. Right next to the car park, visitors will find the most important information about  Gfrill, interesting facts about water and hiking suggestions in the southern part of the Trudner Horn Nature Park. Special attention is also paid to the wetlands, birdlife and amphibians of the nature park.

Free entry

Roner - the most awarded distillery in Italy. The family company was founded in 1946 by Gottfried Roner and is now managed by the third generation. The Roner distillery stands alongside the Williams product and excellent fruit distillates for high-quality grappa and exciting innovations such as gin and rum. Quality –

Taste - Tradition and Innovation have recently been awarded the "Fruit Spirit of the Year 2020" (ISW) for Caldiff Privat and numerous other gold medals in international tasting competitions. Enjoy the diversity of South Tyrol and immerse yourself in the fascination of the art of distillation! Learn more about the unique innovative pot style "Luisa", a milestone in the art of distillation.

Guided tours
Tour are held every Monday at 10.00 and Thursday at 14.30 only in German and Wednesday at 15.00 only in Italian, the cost per person is € 12.00. The tastings are reserved to adults (age +18). The guided tour is free up to 16 years of age. Reservations required: Tel. 0039 0471 864 010 – visite@roner.com

For groups it is possible to book a personalized tour and tasting also in English. For more information send an e-mail to visite@roner.com

Roner store and Bar in Termeno
In our shop in Termeno you can find the complete assortment of Roner products, some exclusive “gem”, Ritterhof estate wines and local specialties. In our bar area you can enjoy coffee, snacks and cocktails mixed with Roner products. The Store’s staff is on hand to advise you and make you discover the world of “Spirit”.

Timetable of our Store
Monday – Friday: 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 6:00 p.m. Saturdays: 8:00 to 12:00 From August to the end of October open all day Monday – Friday: 9:00 to 18:00 Saturdays: 8:00 to 17:00 In the months of September and October, our shop is open for you also Sunday from 09.30 to 13.00.

The Capuchin monastery and its small church were built between 1617 and 1620. The church has a simple design in accordance with the style and regulations of the Capuchin Order: simple in terms of furnishings, bare walls, barrel vaults, and a side chapel on the south side. The high altar is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. The pulpit and the side altars are neo-Romanesque and date back to the 19th century. The altar of the side chapel contains a statue of the mother of God with Child from the middle of the 16th century, which is said to have miraculous powers. Between 1999 and 2003, the whole complex was carefully restored. In the little church, this also led to the renewal of the windows and the benches, which – in harmony with the surroundings – are now simple and linear. Thus, the light penetrates through seven beautiful glass panes that seem to communicate with the faithful through their symbolic meaning of colors and number.

The perfect combination of history, culture and modern comfort. Talking about Paschbach Castle, one might at first remember the name of one of the greatest pianists of the last century: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, who was the co-founder of the Busoni piano contest. Michelangeli lived for many years in the castle and played the piano, which can still be seen here today. A mansion for its noble owners, Paschbach Castle is today a friendly, family-owned b&b. With its beautiful castle grounds, surrounded by the fruit orchards and vineyards of Appiano sulla Strada del Vino, the b&b offers the modern lord and lady of the castle stunning views and a sense of grandeur. The heart of the imposing structure is the "Tower of Paschway" dating back to the first half of the 13th century in which is situated a magnificent gothic stube. The complete complex of buildings is surrounded by ring walls with battlements. The castle is an ideal starting point for numerous excursions and leisure time activities. Only a few steps away you will find the Golfclub Freudenstein with training ground and golf academy. Even the well known Caldaro Lake and the Lake of Monticolo, which you can reach in only a few minutes.

The “Schwarzer Adler'' Inn dates back to the 15th century. It was the largest and most solid inn in Salorno/Salurn, located at the most important crossroads of the time. It was equipped with a parlour that exerted great attraction on passers-by and villagers and knew how to maintain itself as an inn best and longest. This large inn, once owned by various noble families, later fell to merchants and the bourgeoisie and was eventually divided among various owners: in 1500 it was the Rölls, 1600-1680 the Lansers, between 1680 and 1700 Andrä Nagele, who sold his property to Peter Tolloy, who in turn ceded it to Baron J. F. von Coret. In 1801 the inn was acquired by the Tschurtschenthaler family, who sold it in 1825 to Anton von Gelmini and Anton von Vilas. In 1833 the inn fell into the hands of the Petermair family. With the construction of the railway (1859), however, there was a drastic decline in the number of guests. From that time on, the inn's activities were almost exclusively limited to guests from the village.

Remarkable is the magnificent black eagle made of wrought iron, which has been preserved to this day in the same place above the old post road and reminds us of the old name and the centuries-old hospitality business that was practised there. The "Black Eagle" proved to be the most frequented inn in the village at that time.